Charlie and the Circus of Ghosts
by MAC the misc.writer
Summary: The glass elevator has to make an emergency landing due to weather at the abandoned estate of Leonard O'Brien famous circusmaster. Sequel to Charlie and the mysterious Islands.
1. Birthday on the Islands

As usual here is the usual disclaimer, I own nothing except the characters specific to my story. Please read my previous story, Charlie and the Mysterious Islands beforehand.

CHARLIE AND THE CIRCUS OF GHOSTS

In the year since the magical barrier surrounding the Isles of Mystery fell, the islands quickly rose to become the number one tourist destination in the world, with great hotels quickly being built, but even with all the new hotels no one can get reservations at any of the real good lodgings without a special in, and four of those people staying at the finest lodging on the Isle of Water were now playing two on two volleyball on the Isle of Water.

These people were Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Mike Teevee, and Angela Turner, and Mike just missed a very quick spike. "Great Verk, Teevee." Augustus said as a response to his failure."

Veruca walked up the net and said, "That's game, boys."

Mike turned to Augustus and grumbled, "Isn't some of that flab, muscle now, GUS?"

Augustus replied, "Some, but not all! Vhat about you, with all those Vitamins you take?"

Mike replied, "I only take them so that I look normal! You don't appreciate the genius it took to figure out how to do that!"

Angela pushed her red locks back and called out, "Enough, boys. It's almost time for dinner. Lets head back to the cabana our parents will probably be waiting for us!"

On the way back, Augustus turned to Angela and said, "Vy did dey invite us anyway?"

Veruca said, "Yeah, I understand why your'e invited. Youre the birthday girls friend. But why us? It was my understanding that neither of the lovebirds really liked us."

Angela said, "It was my understanding that Charlie doesn't know anyone else, and there was two much bad blood between Violet and her former friends. They merely are indifferent towards you. Most of her former friends Violet really hates. If they didn't invite you it would have ended up as just the Charlie and Violet and me. And that's not how Violet wants her birthday."

Mike understood this and said, "Where are the lovebirds anyway."

The lovebirds in question were now sitting at a table sharing a fruit smoothie in a restaurant in the shadow of a waterfall. However someone who knew the couple wouldn't recognize them offhand as Violet Beauregarde's hair was wildly different. It was now black and reached perfectly strait down to her waist. She asked to her companion, "So how does this one look?"

Charlie Bucket responded with "You look beautiful."

Violet said angrily, "YOU'VE SAID THAT ABOUT THE LAST FIVE! STOP IT!" Charlie was showing off a new perfected hairstyling candy which he had managed to make. She continued with, "I can't look beautiful in everything. You're just not critical."

Charlie responded with, "No I believe the word to describe me is biased. You need more than a bad hairstyle to make you look ugly to me."

Violet pouted, "Well what am I to do then? I want to look my best."

Charlie gave her a new piece of hairstyling candy and said, "This one is my favorite." Violet smirked and as she swallowed it, her hair returned to it's usual golden hue, and shortened down to just past her shoulders, ans took on a more wavy style, she looked at herself in the reflection in the pool the waterfall emptied out into.

She smirked and said, "It's my favorite too then."

Charlie then reached into his pocket and produced a small package and said, "Happy birthday, sweetie. Congratulations on becoming a teenager."

As she opened the package and extracted a golden necklace, she immediatly put it around her neck she exclaimed, "It's wonderful!" And as she pulled him into a kiss, she said, "I love you."

Unfortunatly during the kiss Charlie broke out in a sweat. As Violet pulled away, She said, "Okay that was the first dud kiss I ever got from you. What's wrong?"

Charlie stammered, "Y-Y-Youv'e nev-never said that to me be-be-fore."

As Violet realized what just happened, she said, "Well, I felt as if nows the right time to say it. Well then how do you feel about it? A good response to that is to say I love you too."

Charlie continued stammering, "Of c-c-c-course. I L-L-" But was stopped as Violet put her hand over his mouth.

Violet said on the brink of tears, "Don't say it if your'e not sure if its the truth." 

As Violet got up from the table and ran toward the beach, Charlie hit his head on the table." 


	2. Elevator Ride

As the boys changed out of their swimwear in a locker room, Augustus yelled out, "Vhat's the problem with that?"

Mike continued with, "Yeah, as insane as both your relationship and your girlfriend is, you're crazy about Violet."

Charlie said solumnly, "I like Violet. I enjoy her presence immensly. But do I love her? I don't know guys."

Mike groaned, "Listen we weren't enjoying the fact that we had to spend this trip with a lovey-dovey couple. Now we have to deal with a couple in the throes of a lovers spat? I get the feeling that will somehow be more annoying."

Augustus exclaimed, "Yeah, I have a couple of friends like that. De Awkward Zilences dive me nutty!"

Charlie got up and as he put on his shirt he said, "Listen, we're not broken up. Were just going through a period, okay. You two have been enjoying yourself despite us, right."

Mike and Augustus shrugged together, and Mike said, "I guess, come on our parents are waiting for us.

As they left the locker room, the boys ran into the girls and as Charlie and Violet ran into each other, they both opened their mouth to speak, they both decided against it, and shut them.

Augustus whispered to Mike, "Ah dere's the virst one."

They met their parents each sitting at tables in the Grand Paradise Hotel lobby along with Willy Wonka and Veronica Berenhoney.

Mrs. Bucket was the first to speak, "Kids all of us adults have been invited to a party tonight. Will you be allright on your own in the hotel?"

Angela spoke up, "I don't want to spend this night in the hotel alone."

Miss Berenhoney said haltingly, "Sorry Miss Turner, but most of the islands attractions are closed at night on Sunday."

Veruca suggested, "How bout a glass elevator ride?"

Willy Wonka said, "It's absolutly fine with me."

Mr. Salt said, "Excuse me if I don't trust you with my daughter, Wonka."

Veruca said, "BUT DADDY!"

Mr. Beauregarde tapped Mr. Salt on the shoulder and said, "I semi-agree with you on Wonkas responsibility, Salt. However, Wonka will be going to the party too. Therefore you wont be trusting Mr. Wonka. You'll be trusting Mr. Bucket. And believe me when I say that Mr. Bucket has demonstrated to me a level of maturity well beyond his years. I would not let him date my daughter otherwise. I believe we can trust him with this responsibility."

Every one of the parents looked at Charlie and said showed their agreement.

An hour later as the glass elevator floated over the islands Mike Teevee complained, "That was great. What are we going to do for the next quarter of an hour."

Charlie replied, "Sorry guys. I thought it would take longer."

Angela said, "Well, we have three hours until bedtime. This elevator can travel to the mainland quicker. I want to see."

Charlie pushed a button and the glass elevator took off toward the mainland. "Allright, but lets make it quick, I don't like the look of those clouds."

As they arrived at the mainland Charlies fear of the clouds was recognized as the clouds surrounded them, and the kids saw lightning in the distance. Charlie exclaimed, "Great. Were not supposed to fly this thing in the rain."

Mike said, "We'll find someplace to land. Look there's a house over there. We can wait it out."

Angela said, "Our parents will be worried about us."

Veruca grabbed Angela on the shoulder and said as she was dialing a cellphone she apparently had in her purse, "No they won't." She then said into the phone, "Hi daddy. I just called to say that we were flying over the mainland in the elevator but we were caught in a storm, and we will have to land the elevator and wait the storm out. Okay? Okay, Love you too daddy."

Augustus said from the edge of the elevator said, "Excuse me, but who puts stained-glass windows on their house with clown-vaces."

At that Violet suddenly went white as a ghost, she said without emotion, "The most famous circusmaster in the world. Leonard O'brian."

Charlie said, "Violet, you know that house?"

Violet continued, "I should. My family owns it. Leonard O'Brian was my great-grandfather. My mother was raised here for a short while."

Veruca said, "Your mother was raised by a circus?"

Mike said, "That explains so much."

Violet continued, "People came from all over the world to see the show he ran out of that very house. This happened for years until he retired, and was promptly murdered in his bed along with my great-grandmother. Most performers joined other circuses. Since then nobody ever comes to this house. We've tried to sell it, but we can't even give it away. There are rumors that the house is haunted."

Angela then said, "Well shall we go in?"

Mike then said sarcastically, "Look there are no such things as ghosts. I'll show you."

Mike left the elevator into the rain and walked into the front door of the house. Thirty seconds later Mike emerged from the front door with a bizzare flat expression on his face.

Veruca said, "WELL?"

Mike said, "About five seconds after walking through that door I was personally greeted by your great grandparents, Violet." 


	3. Entrance Decision

It was Veruca who finally broke the silence that followed. "So you actually saw two ghosts in there?"

Mike said, "More like a hundred. Behind that door is a room the size of a gymnasium colored in circus colors. Your great-grandaddy was at the center conducting a ghost orchestra and there were ghost clowns dancing to the music trying to entertain some ghost kids in the audience. A woman in a fire-breathers outfit who I later learned was Great-grandma was at the door and pointed out to granddaddy my arrival. Grandaddy wrapped up the song he was performing then walked over to me saying, "Ah, a new audience. We haven't had a live audience in awhile." He then introduced himself as well as your grandma, then invited me to join the festivities for the evening.

Charlie said, "They were really ghosts?"

Mike said, "Well they glowed, and were slightly transparent. Yeah I think so."

Angela suddenly had a brightened smile. "That sounds cool. Maybe our evening won't be totally wasted!"

Veruca said, "Are you nuts?"

Violet answered, "Probably. That's partially why I like her."

Angela smirked and continued, "Look, ghosts can't hurt us!"

Augustus said, "How vould you know?"

Violet said, "The reason I don't have bad blood with Angela is that she was a social outcast when I was a social outcast. She has Voodoo worshippers as family members and studies occult in her free time."

Charlie asked, "Vi, was your great-grandfather a good person?"

Violet replied, "Absolutly, he gave almost as much as he spent on this house to children's charities. He allways told my mother that he didn't do it for the money, he did it for the children.

Charlie said, "So do we go in and join the festivities?"

Angela started with, "I'm going in. I want to see this."

Augustus nodded and said, "I love the circus at home, and Mr. O'brien sounds friendly.

Charlie said, "Your parents gave the responsibility of your care to me. I'm going in.

Violet said, "I want to meet my great-grandfather."

Veruca shrugged and Mike said, "Okay, but wait for a big I told you so when trouble arises. I'm leaving at the first sign." 


	4. Leonard O'brian

As soon as the front door of the house opened, Mike Teevee called out, "Mr. O'Brian! Here is the group of kids I told you about! They've decided to join the festivities."

Unfortunatly, Charlie wasn't able to see the main part of the room they were in, as it was suddenly pitch black, allthough he could clearly make out a vast skylight, and a flash of lightning showed a room as large as the Chocolate room in the factory. However this was put aside as a spotlight suddenly turned on in the middle of the room. The spotlight focused on Leonard O'brian. He was decked out in a black tuxedo with a white bow tie, but was glowing slightly and was partially transparent. He carried a long black cane. If he was alive he could be described as a middle aged man with a crew-cut of brown hair and a handlebar mustache. He slowly said, "And a one, and a two."

Then suddenly the kids could see the ghost orchestra Mike refered too, and ghost clowns came in and started dancing around. Mr. O'brian started waving his cane around and started singing.

Welcome to the party tonite!  
The greatest in the world I say,  
today will be your happiest day.  
Welcome to the party tonite!  
We'll dance and sing the whole night through To bring a joyful smile to you.  
Welcome to the party tonite.

I've gathered in my house the greatest sights around.  
I've done my best to make this house the funnest place from roof to ground.

Welcome to the party tonite!  
Created to bring amazing joys To all you little girls and boys Welcome to the party tonite!  
You great kids gathered here will see the a most amazing sight.

WEL-Hel-come to the par-ar-ty toniiiiiiight!

As the kids just stared after the music died down Leonard O'brian said, "Allright, I understand that this whole situation is a liiiiitttle creepy, but thats no excuse for not applauding a expert showman when he gives you a special performance."

The six kids shrugged at each other, than each clapped their hands as much as they can muster.

Leonard O'brian continued with, "Well, I guess the obvious thing you kids want to know is why am I here instead of the proverbial better place?"

Charlie said, "That is a good question don't you think?"

O'brian replied, "Yeah, I wish I knew myself. Believe me, I wish I were there. I mean, I've got no unfinished business except I never gave my granddaughter Scarlett her birthday present."

Violet stepped forward and said, "Well give it too me then. I'm your great-granddaughter. Hi, my name is Violet Beauregarde. Scarlett is my mother, and today is my birthday actually."

O'brian seemed amazed, "Really! You do have the family nose. Very well come this way."

As O'brian led them up a staircase, Angela asked, "I understand you and the performers being here, in life they worked here, but why the kids?"

Another voice from around the room saying, "I can explain that, Angela." drew the attention of a young ghost girl with long brown hair."

Violet and Angela responded in unison, "TRISTA!"

Mike said, "You girls know this girl?"

Violet said, "She was on my gynastics team, until she fell off her bar and broke her neck."

Trista continued with, "Hi, Violet. Hi, Angela. Whenever a kid dies in the immediate vicinity of this house their soul gets dragged here. It's awfully boring. I've seen every act this circus has to offer a hundred times."

They arrived at a bedroom and O'brian started searching through it. Then he called out to the kids, "Oh by the way, if you want to spend the night here, don't go into the funhouse."

Charlies curiosity perked at this and he asked, "Why what's in there?"

O'brian continued, "Before I died, some animated robots I built and a hall of mirrors. But after I was killed a mysterious magical barrier surrounded it preventing all ghosts from entering."

Charlie asked, "What about living people?"

O'brian said, "We tried that, one kid visited us, and entered the funhouse."

Veruca said, "What happened?"

A little boy ghost who was passing behind them said, "I died. Can't remember how though."

"HERE IT IS!" Leonard O'brian emerged from the room carrying a lacy blue dress. He gave it too Violet saying. "It looks about your size."

Violet took it and said, "I want to try it on." She rushed into the bedroom closing the door behind her, then a few seconds later emerged tossing her newly longer hair about. She then exclaimed, "I love it, Grandpa. Is giving it too me helping you cross over?"

After a few seconds, O'brian said, "Nope. Still here. Sorry."

Violet then turned to the boys and said, "How do I look, boys?" After the boys gave a mixed cheer of praise to Violet's new look she ran over too O'brian, and said, "So where's great-grandma?"

O'brian smiled and said, "This way." and started leading the kids down a hallway.

Charlie was about to follow when Angela grabbed his arm. "So tell me, how much did her plan to get a rise out of you by showing off her new looks work?"

Charlie was about to deny feeling bad, but didn't have the heart to lie, "Pretty well. Angela, you know us well, what should we do?"

Angela replied, "The question is not what should both of you should do. The question is what should just you do. The only way you can and probably should be happy with your relationship is by telling her you love her, and because you know it too be true not because its true."

Charlie said, "Believe me, I tried, but my tounge keeps ending up in knots."

Angela put her hand on her forehead in exasperation and said, "Well, let's practice by telling me that you love her, which my experience says with the way you are around her is true.

Charlie replied, "Okay, I-I-I"

Angela stopped him with, "Forget it. Let's catch up. 


	5. Lady Flame

O'brian called out, "Sweetie!" than said a bit quieter, "Where'd she go?" He then asked a passing ghost clown, "Excuse me, Flippy? Where'd my wife go?"

The clown said, "Gee golly Mr. O'brian, she went to the greenhouse to tend the plants."

O'brian then called out, as he led the kids down a hall. "Perfect! The perfect first stop on our trip. You kidlings will love this. So, Violet, introduce me to your friends."

Violet replied pointing at the kids as she spoke, "Long story short, this is Angela, Augustus, Mike, Veruca, and my boyfriend Charlie."

O'brian replied as they arrived at a tramcar built into the house, he said, "I promise I will try not to mix you up." As he led them onto the tram he said to ghost conductor on the tram. "To the greenhouse Frankie. Slow speed." He then turns to the kids and said, "If you have time later since theres only one tram, try it on super fast speed. Give you kids a wild ride. Anyway, our first stop." The tram took off from its station, and they saw oSuddenly to the kids surprise, Leonard O'brians tuxedo morphed into a safari outfit, and he called out, "Our first stop is the AMAZING PLANTWORLD!" With that several of the clowns floated in some dressed in safari outfits. Some clowns were dressed in wild animal skins. Some began chanting and all started a dancing circle around O'brian. "I travelled the deepest jungles in the world to find the most amazing wonderful plants in the whole darn world. Ah kidlings, we are here." Sure enough out the trams windows they saw an amazing greenhouse with spotlights."

As they all exited the tram, the kids heard a "PTTUUUII" sound.

Veruca said, "Did somebody just spit?"

O'brian replied, "Behind you to the left. The Amazonian spitting fern."

Sure enough, several feet behind them, the kids saw a leafy green fern form quickly form a clear liquid on its branches, then several of their leaves flitted together and the then they spit to another similar fern. Leonard O'brian said, "That's how they cross-breed."

Veruca moved closer to a fern to observe it but O'brian said, "Don't get too close!"

Veruca turned and asked "Why?" just in time to get hit in the forehead by a spit.

O'brian said, "Because it doesn't just try to cross-breed with other ferns."

Veruca sighed and said, "Didn't even buy me a milkshake."

Mike called from the back. "Did someone just tap me on the shoulder."

O'brian replied, "No the wall on the back is covered in Conganese Prankster Vines."

The kids said in unison, "What?"

O'brian grabbed Augustus and pulled him toward the wall, and said, "Stand there for a moment. Now watch kids." Then one of the vines uncurled from the wall snuck behind Augustuses back, and tapped him on the shoulder, causing Augustus to jump.

"Leonard! Darling!" Said a female ghost coming forth, she was semi tall with brightly colored cloths and hair which created the illusion that she was on fire.

Leonard O'brian said, "Kids this is my wife Lavender, AKA Lady Flame. Sweetie, this is our great-granddaughter Violet and her friends."

Lady Flame approached Violet and said, "Can I see you breathe please? Breathe in. Breath out"  
Violet obeyed, but Lady Flame replied, "No. Not enough lung power. Darn it."

Charlie asked, "Why are you testing lung power."

Lady Flame replied, "Tending plants ain't what I do kid. I'm a fire breather. Unfortunatly, to be able to breathe flame,"

Mike finished, "You have to be able to breathe, period?"

Lady Flame replied, "Bingo. So I want to pass on my talents. But to teach someone in the span of one night, I need someone with well developed lungs. How about the rest of you. Breathe in."

In unison the kids showed off their lung power. At that Lady Flame moved he finger pointing at the kids back on forth and suddenly stopped at Veruca. "What's your name young lady?"

"Veruca Salt."

Lady Flame smiled at Veruca and said, "Want to learn how to breath fire? Impresses friends."

Veruca nodded and Lady Flame said, "Well we better get started. Leonard, I'll see you later."

As Lady Flame led Veruca out, Mike whispered to Augustus, "I'm not surprised. Much of what comes out of her mouth is hot air anyway."

Violet said to Charlie, "Didn't my great-grandparents inspire you? Together for over sixty years yet still in love?"

Charlie just gave a noncommital shrug. 


	6. The Freak Show

As Leonard O'brian led the remaining chilren onto the tram, Charlie asked, "Will Veruca be allright? I'm responsible for these kids, and learning firebreating sounds dangerous."

O'brian responded, "I remember when she raised Violet's grandmother. She was very responsible." As they entered the tram, he said, "I hope you realize how hard I am working to entertain. It's hard for us, you know why? Let me ask you, What is a way to describe some of the most common circus attractions?" At the children's shrug, he said, "DEATH-DEFiANCE!"

Angela replied, "And how can any of you defy death. You're allready there."

He told the engineer, "Let's go see the freaks." The engineer nodded, and as the tram took off, O'brian told the kids. "I give you my solumn vow that what the freaks look like now, is pretty much what they looked like in life."

Charlie replied, "We'll take your word on that."

As the tram stopped into a room with several barred windows each looking into what looked to the kids like deluxe hotel rooms with large bed and mini fridge. Inside of each of the room was in turn, a man with a second head sticking out of his belly, a mutant hyena, a guy with the head of a frog, a man with scales instead of skin, a man with two noses, a woman with ears and whiskers like a cat, and a slightly tall man with a black crew cut.

Violet said, "Hey grandpa. Why is that guy here?"

O'brian replied, "He's our contortionist. Hey Peter. Show the kids what you did in life."

Peter the contortionist replied "Sure." and promptly kneeled and bent his legs up an over his head then twisted them into a spiral. Peter then said, "Ta-da!" and after the few seconds of silence. "Yeah kind of loses being impressive as I no longer have any real bones."

Augustus then said as he looked at the lizard man, "You know, I've seen Vreak shows in oddur circuses in Germany. This one seems different."

The man with two noses responded with, "It's the lodgings, little boy."

Frog-man reponded, "We've worked with other circuses before."

O'brian said, "But none of them treated you properly right!"

The head in the chest said, "Yeah, usually our cages contained nothing but straw."

The conversation was inturrupted by an alarm watch going off. Violet said, "What's that?"

Mike stepped forward and said, "That's me, It's time for me to take my vitamins."

Mike began unscrewing the cap of a bottle of vitamins, when a hairy arm reached through the cage, as Hyena-man snatched the bottle away from mike and giggling hysterically said, "Trying to make that gangly body of yourself stronger little boy."

Mike stepped forward and said, "Give them back!" and then streched his arm through the cave and snatched the bottle back. As he turned back Mike saw everyone in the room looking at him. He asked, "What?"

Charlie said, "You just streched your arm five feet!"

Mike shrugged and said, "If I don't take my vitamins, I get stretchy."

Mike was just opening the bottle when Peter the contortionist called out, "Young man! I have a proposition for you. If you can keep yourself that stretchy you have what it takes to be an amazing contortionist. Besides being impressive, it also comes in handy in a tight spot! I can train you in this respect! It would be great to pass on my skill to the next generation."

Mike thought this over, then said, "I guess I can lower my intake." then pulled out one pill and swallowed it. "You've got a deal."

O'brian said, "Peter, when you are done teaching Mister Teevee, please direct him to the fish fry."

Violet replied, "The fish fry?"

O'brian said as they headed back to the tram. "All of the food we have stored here has long since rotten. So the only thing we can feed you is fish, freshly caught from the ocean. Luckily we have facilities to do just that and the ghosts of some expert fisherman. Its where we will reunite with Miss Salt and Mister Teevee." 


	7. Fish and Whips

The trams next stop was a cavern filled with several giant aquariums. As Mr. O'brian led Angela, Augustus, Charlie and Violet out of the tram, his clothes again morphed into a deepsea diving suit. He said, "Welcome to the amazine ocean, children. Besides plant life, I've also searched the world for the most amazing specimens of marine life, and as you explore you will begin to understand that you barely know life under the sea, for instance on your left is the Crossing Guard Fish." 

The children looked into the aquarium and saw a large quickly swim in front of a school of fish and promply turn red which caused the school of fish to stop and wait for another school to pass.

O'brian continued, "And on your right, the Incredibly Boring Shark!"

Violet said, "If its incredibly boring, Grandpa, why should we look at it?"

O'brian replied, "Its boring to its prey. Which makes it such a good predator." O'brian picked up a bucket to a smaller aquarium and scooped up a fish, then floated to the sharks tank, then dropped the fish in. As the shark moved toward the fish the fish by just looking at the shark seemed to be lulled into a stupor, and gave no resistance as the shark swallowed it in one gulp.

He continued working through "And let me show you the Pacific Two-headed turtle. The Great Lionfish of the Yellow Sea. The..." But Mr. O'brian was inturrupted by a whipping sound and a yelling coming from the top of the aquarium.

"NO.. LEFT! LEFT!"

O'brian said, "Craig are you up there? Still trying to train the fish?"

"Yes, Mr. O'Brian."

Mr. O'brian turned back toward the kids and said, "Craig Hughes, our Cheif wild animal trainer. Had nothing to do since all our animals are no longer here."

The wild animal trainer floated down from the rafters above the aquariums holding a whip. He said, "So these are our live visitors sir?" At Mr. O'brians nod Craig continued, "Well sorry to dissapoint but I have no trained animals to show you."

Augustus stepped forward and said, "Are you good at your job, Herr Hughes? If so can you give me some advize on dealing vit de animals?"

Mr. Hughes replied, "You having trouble with animals boy?"

Augustus said, "My family has long owned this summer home in de alps yes? I allvays loved it there. But new hunting laws passed and forest near summer home now villed vit scary animals. I scared to go back there."

Hughes handed Augustus his whip and said, "You know how to use this thing, and Trust me boy, you'll feel invincible when dealing with Animals."

Augustus said, "Can you show me sir?" and Hughes nodded in return. At that the whole group heard a very loud bell.

O'brian said, "Oh boy kids, the acrobat show is starting. Come on kids. Craig can you show Mr. Gloop to the Fish fry when your done with him?"

Hughes replied, "Sure thing boss." And O'brian led Angela, Charlie and Violet back toward the tram." 


	8. The new acrobat

The tram came back to an entry hall where the several acrobats were jumping back on forth on a trapeze which had been set up while the kids were gone. Unfortunatly none of the kids, whether they were alive or dead seemed very impressed at the acrobats stunts. Leonard O'Brian told the kids, "Kinda loses the point when the acrobats can neither die nor be really pulled by gravity huh."

The Charlie, Angela, and Violet thought this over and realized thats was in fact why this spectacle seemed so boring. "Leonard O'brian continued, "I remember when people used to go oooh and ahhh. Huh, good times."

Violet suddenly ran forward and asked, "Grandpa. Try annoncing your newest acrobat?"

O'brian replied, "I don't have a new acrobat." It took a few seconds for it to set in. "Wat a min-- YOU? VIOLET?"

Violet smirked. "I've been on a trapeze before."

Leonard O'brian nodded then blew a whistle to summon several clowns. "Take my great-granddaughter and fit her with a acrobats costume, and prepare the safety net."

As Charlie and Angela took a seat in the bleachers, Leonard O'brian announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen. For the first time, our new acrobat, LADY VIOLET!" Charlie broke out into a cold sweat as Violet climbed the ladder up the trapeze platform. However, his fear was unfounded as she was able to successfully traverse from one trapeze to the next doing a double summersault in the process. It gained signifigantly more applause from the audience.

Leonard O'brian turned from his seat toward Charlie and Angela to say, "I should have known. The girl has the circus in her blood."

Angela nudged Charlie with her elbow and said, "Too bad she's only doing it to impress you."

Charlie replied flatly, "Yeah. Also too bad she can't impress me any more than she allready has. I remember coming home from the first trip to the Isles of Mystery. My grandparents congratulated me, then offered their sympathies that I had to spend my summer with, and I quote, that awful girl from the contest." Angela chuckled at this. "It took me weeks to convince them that she had changed. I remember how they gave me their approval. I was giving her a new tour of the factory and when I showed her fizzy lifting drinks, and we just started floating thanks to them, The lights suddenly dimmed, a disco ball emerged from a ventilation duct, and music to slow dance to started playing. I turned toward the door and saw my grandparents in their wheelchairs all give me thumbs up."

Angela said quietly, "What else do you remember?"

Charlie said, "I remember how I could relate when she complained about her inability to make new friends, and feeling great when on one of my visits discover her at a local basketball court playing one-on-one with a perfectly nice young girl."

Angela smiled and said, "And kicking my butt at it."

Charlie continued, "I remember the day her parents filed for divorce. I believe I now hold the world record for the most time continuously letting someone cry into my shoulder. I felt for her loss and I felt good that I was able to provide comfort. It happens so rarely that I am able to feel good about myself like that."

Angela responded by slugging Charlie one the shoulder. "Jeez are you listening to yourself? Got news for you pal. PEOPLE WITH MERE CRUSHES AND INFATUATIONS DONT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"

Charlie stammered, "You're probably right. Still.. I don't think you've helped here Angie."

Angela turned away from him for a second then turned back. "Back up for a second. You said you rarely feel good about yourself. Why not?"

Charlie replied, "Aren't we getting off topic here?"

Angela sighed then said, "No, I don't think we are. Both are inquiries into your state of mind. I don't get it. You've got a great life, a life most kids could only dream about. Your ridiculously nice. The people of the Isles of Mystery erected a statue of you in your honor. Why don't you often feel good about yourself?"

Charlie stammered, "I-I-I" Angela put her hand on Charlies mouth and pulled a hand mirror out of her purse.

She handed the mirror to Charlie. "Look at yourself, and say, "I am a worthy human-being."

Charlie looked at himself in the mirror and continued stammering. "I-I a-am- a wor-wor.."

Angela snatched the hand mirror back and said, "So you get tounge-tied saying that too. That's interesting."

As they both turned away from each other a ghost clown approached Leonard O'brian. The clown said, "Excuse me sir, Madame Rosa would like to see you."

Angela said, "Madame Rosa?"

O'brian turned to Angela and Charlie and said, "Our fortune teller. This is strange. Ever since she died, she barely leaves what she calls her sanctum. She allways has this guilty look in her eyes. Beepo. When my great-granddaughter gets done show her to the fish fry okay?"

As Leonard O'brian started to leave Angela grabbed Charlie by the arm and said, "Every one of my instincts say we should follow."

Charlie slowly said okay, and got up with Angela. 


	9. Madame Rosa

After Angela convinced Leonard O'brian to take Charlie and Angela with them, the tram took them down into a deep cavern underneath the house. They stopped at a door built into the cave wall labeled in lighted letters "Fortune Teller".

As Charlie entered the room he was filled with a sense of surrealism. It was an hour ago he felt used to interacting with the dead, but he was still put off. A giant glow in the dark pentagram was built into the floor of the room. The walls were covered in shelves covered in bottles, skulls, idols, and arcane books in other languages. Too fulfill the scene a glowing grid of stars was drawn on the ceiling.

Charlie was almost as creeped out as he focused his eyes on Madame Rosa. She was sitting at a table in the center of the room with an insense burner, a deck of Tarot cards, and a crystal ball. Her body was covered with a rainbow dress. A thick purple veil covered her hair, and a trainsparent sky blue veil hung from big hoop earings covered her face. She also wore an improbable number of neckaces. With the multi colors of her dress, and of her necklaces, the kids would not be surprised if she was wearing every color in a jumbo box of crayons. However there seemed to be a certain sadness about her. She said with a eastern european accent, "Glad too see you all. Welcome seekers."

Leonard O'brian asked, "Why did you ask for us, Rosa?"

Rosa said calmly, "I have known it for years, but before the arrival of these children, it would not have mattered. Leonard, the curse that binds us to this plane, to this house. It's my fault. I did not place it, but I brought the means to place it here."

Angela said, "What do you mean, maam?"

Rosa stood than waved around to the items around the room. "I have spent my life looking for the mysterious. Collecting items of the mystical. I delved too deep children. Leonard, the night you announced your retirement, I just received a shipment of goods from the middle east, and that shipment was broken into the night you were murdered. Is it any wonder I blame myself?"

Charlie and Angela saw the conflict on Leonard O'brians face as he absorbed this information. "What's changed now?"

Madame Rosa said, "Now is the time for redemption. These children have arrived as I foresaw. Good thing too because the curse can only be broken by the living."

O'brian said, "Rosa your predictions have never been that reliable."

Rosa picked up the deck of tarot cards and started shuffling them. "Yes which is why most of my practice in life involved the reading of these." But she then drew and displayed the death card. "But as my spirit left the spiritually confining physical body, my mind became more powerful and my powers of divination climbed tenfold. I only wish I had died before that child in the funhouse. I might have foreseen his death and prevented it. Mister Bucket, step forward." Charlie stepped forward and Rosa took his hands. "Your hands show that you have performed the art of magic well."

Charlie was impressed, "Yes on the Isles of Mystery."

Rosa looked into her crystal ball, and continued, "Next, I can see that the magic that binds us here is an ancient type of blood magic. Leonard, your murder was part of a blood sacrifice needed to set the curse. Leonard your blood started this, I see your blood will be needed to fix it. I've heard that one who carries your blood has arrived here too, correct? And lastly, Is that Erzulie?" Since Charlie didn't understand what that meant, he followed the gaze of Rosa's eyes to Angela's necklace. Angela's necklace centerpiece was a feminine idol.

Angela replied, "That's Erzulie allright. My aunt gave it too me."

Rosa continued, "The Godess of love?"

Angela shook her head and said, "Spirit not godess. I learnt some amazing things from the voodoo worshippers in my family."

Rosa said, "Just before I died I was beginning my own studies of the African religions. I've heard that the African priestesses control of the spirit world were amazing. Perhaps you and I should take a moment after these gentlemen have left to compare our knowledge.

As Angela nodded, "Very good. Now Mister Bucket. Your first step on the path to our redemption will be to travel into the funhouse and recover that which was stolen from me."

Leonard O'brian said, "Wait, Rosa. I don't approve of that! The last person who went into the funhouse died."

Rosa replied, "Yes because he was unprepared. Many things have been learned tonight. I won't lie there will be dangers. But let me tell you, Mister Bucket besides the fact that you've been a hero before, and you liked the feeling there is another reason. In the funhouse you will also find an understanding. You've reached a point in your life where the choices you make will affect who you become the rest of your life. Let me tell you with that understanding you will lead a much more fulfilling life. Isn't that worth a little risk. Leonard, I know you don't approve but if he or any of the others decide to go don't stop them please. Leonard, come here."

Leonard O'brian leaned over and and Rosa whispered something to him. Angela said to Charlie, "So you going to go?"

Charlie was thinking about all the spirits here who deserved to be in heavean, and were indeed stuck here and incredibly unhappy about it, when he suddenly heard Violet's voice in his head saying, "Be fearless."

Charlie replied, "Yes. Yes I am." 


	10. Leadership Lesson

As Leonard O'brian and Charlie reboarded the tram, Leonard O'brian said to the engineer, "Take us to the fish fry. Nice and slow so I can have a few moments to speak to Mr. Bucket." As the tram took off, he sat down and said morosely, "I wish I could talk you out of going, but the pain I feel every day as I watch all these kids and my performers trapped in this decaying wreck when they should be in heaven has gotten to me. Besides Rosa wouldn't send you in there unless she really believed in you, and I've known her so long, so I guess I can believe in you too, and as such, I am not really motivated to talk you out of it. I am motivated however to do what Rosa told me to do to prepare you for your journey."

Charlie said, "What's that sir?"

O'brian stood up and started pacing around the room, while saying, "You're going to be the head of a factory some day right? Well soon you will lead that factory just as I led this circus for years. But, with all due respect, you don't seem like a leader. Rosa told me to teach you leadership."

Charlie thought about this, and he remembered the fact that he's never been able to motivate the oompa-loompas the way Willy Wonka did. He nodded and O'brian continued, "To be a leader you must make your subordinates believe in you so they respect your decisions even if they don't agree to them. Now stand up here." He made Charlie stand in the middle of the tram. "Lesson 1, giving a strong command. A simple command is, "We go in." Stand out strait, Pretend I'm a subordinate."

Charlie said "We go in."

Leonard O'brian yelled out, "Say it with Authority. Point out showing to your team exactly where you are going, and see if they all recognize why. AGAIN!"

Leonard O'brian spent the rest of the train ride teaching several leadership techniques, but the tram eventually arrived at the fish fry. It was a simple cave built into the side where a cave exited out into the open ocean. A pair of ghost fisherman were still fishing. Leonard O'brian led Charlie out into the dining tables he said, "Now recognize your team. Charlie looked over to a table where Mike was showing off the new ways he could bend his body parts. Veruca was overtly applauding it and had a flask and a lighter next to her. Augustus now had the whip attached to his side, and Violet was back in her birthday dress. O'brian said, "Now for your first test, recognize your team, and lead them."

Charlie walked over to the table and said, "How's everybody doing."

Veruca picked up her lighter and flask and said, "Hey Bucket! Watch this!" She picked up her flask and lighter and held it to her mouth and a great ball of flames burst out of there.

Charlie said, "Impressive. Might be useful with what's ahead. I've had a little chat with the fortune teller. She said I can break the curse on this place if I head into the funhouse and retrieve something that was stolen from her?"

All eyes turned to Charlie and Mike said, "Are you nuts?"

Charlie replied, "Probably."

Veruca asked quite loudly, "Why should we help these people?"

Charlie said, "I don't need a reason to help people who need my help. With all due respect I didn't think you would understand. Just that I am a hero to the people of the Isles of Mystery, and let me tell you It's a good feeling. So go ahead and call me nuts for wanting to be a hero again. Anybody want to come with me?" Not surprisingly, Violet stood up and took Charlie, and no one else budged from their seat."

Charlie said, "Fine. I won't look down on you for not wanting to risk your life."

It was an extremly long ride on the tram. It took a lot of convincing the conductor to actually take the tram to the entrance to the funhouse. But as Charlie and Violet were dropped off, Charlie said, "I don't know what will happen."

Violet said with a distinct lack of enthusiasim, "We're together. What could happen?" then gave Charlie a kiss on the forehead.

Charlie took her hand, and said, "Stay close." Then they both entered the main gate to the funhouse. 


	11. The Funhouse

The first room of the funhouse seemed to be a display of many famous faces. As Charlie and Violet took their first steps across a hardwood floor which displayed a swirling rainbow, the first thing they saw was a couple of alcoves each with an animated robot in it. One was of a clown with pointed hair and a goofy grin giving it a demonic appearance. The other contained a wooden table holding a stereotypical Frankenstein's monster robot, and as Charlie and Violet stepped close lights snapped up in the alcoves and the clown started giggling crazily, and the Frankenstein Monster sat up on its table.

Charlie said, "How do you think this is different from other funhouses?"

Violet yelled out, "PAY ATTENTION! LOOK! ROBOTS IN OTHER FUNHOUSES DON'T DO THAT!" and Charlie realize that the clown was stepping out of its alcove and the Frankenstein Monster had gotten up off of its table. Both robots were walking toward Charlie and Violet and were walking toward them. Luckily their plastic legs were not made for great mobility and they were slow moving. Violet grabbed Charlie and yelled, "RUN!"

Unfortunatly as they entered the next room they saw about fifty alcoves each with their own robot emerging from it. Several clowns, a gorrila, a vampire, a witch, a swamp creature, and they quickly blocked both exits from the room.

Violet lunged at one and gave it a terific karate chop but it didn't seemed to feel it, and she backed away toward's Charlie. Charlie said to her quickly, "These guys are robots, they don't feel pain."

Violet said, "Great. What do we do then?"

Charlie said, These guys seem slow moving. Lets be quick moving."

Thus began a game of dip and dodge as Charlie and Violet tried their darnest to outrun the robots. However when either Charlie or Violet tried to get near one of the exits to the room the robots quickly grouped together to block Charlie and Violets escape. Charlie and Violet started to tire quickly, and they both ended up at the same time cornered in one of the Vacant alcoves waiting for death, but it never came, as a commotion drew the twos attention to the front entrance to the funhouse. They saw that the robots guarding the entrance were now on fire. Despite the fact that they couldn't feel pain, the robots plastic parts could melt, and they both saw Mike and Augustus leap through the fire. Mike streched out his arm underneath the robots surrounding Charlie and pull him quickly out of the way. Augustus used his whip to grab the robots leg and catapult him into another robot which opened up a gap which Violet quickly escaped through.

As Mike said to Charlie and said, "You know you really didn't give us enough credit."

Veruca entered through the debris of burnt robots and said, "Yeah, you only needed to wait a few seconds before we decided we wanted to be heroes too."

As Augustus as Violet joined them, Augustus said, "So what now?"

Charlie smiled at them all and said, "Now let's be heroes then. Veruca, your fire blast would be most effective on the larger groups. Augustus, try to pick up the ones seperate from others, and knock them into the others. Mike stretch up and see overhead to see the enemys position." And thus a great battle began, and within quick order half of the robots were wrecked, and the entrance to the hall of mirrors was wide open. Mike yelled out, "We are most effective against these guys. You two go on. Find what the fortune teller lady told you to find."

Charlie and Violet headed took five steps into the maze of mirrors when a mirror slid down from a crack in the ceiling, and separated them. Charlie banged on the mirror. "Violet are you allright?"

Violet replied, "Yeah, I think so."

Charlie replied, "Okay. Not much else we can do but to look for a way through. Be careful okay?"

Violet said, "You too."

After a few moments of searching through the maze, Charlie ended up in a big chamber, with a well decorated mirror as its centerpiece. He turned to look at it, and saw his reflection but unlike other mirrors his reflection had a malicious smile on its face. The mirror shimmered for a moment and it displayed a scene from his days at elementary school. He was walking and other kids were talking about him and he pretended not to hear. "Look its pathetic Bucket. So poor. Have you seen his house? It has a hole in the roof the size of a piano, and doesn't even stand up strait. He'll never amount to anything." But then the image of Charlie in the mirror said, "You know you really should have been paying attention to them, cause you know they are right!"

After a few moments of searching through the maze, Violet ended up in a big chamber, with a well decorated mirror as its centerpice. She turned to look at it, and saw her reflection, and her reflection had a malicions smile on its face. The mirror shimmered for a moment, and it displayed a scene from the chocolate room at Wonka's factory. In it Violet was telling Charlie, "Cause then I wouldn't be a champion. I'd be a loser, like you." And as Charlie in the mirror walked off the Mirror Violet said, "Tell me, is it any wonder he can't say that he loves you?" 


	12. Dark Reflections

Charlie said, "I'm not pathetic!"

Mirror Charlie replied, "Oh really. What have you accomplished in your feeble little existance, huh? The Wonka contest? A contest by definition is a feat of pure luck."

Charlie tried his best to sound brave in the face of this entity. "I reunited Mr. Wonka with his dad."

Mirror Charlie replied in his snyde tone of voice, "It took you two seconds to convince Mr. Wonka to go and the rest of the time you just sat back and watched. Just as you sat back and did nothing as the other kids nearly got themselves killed in the factory. You knew they were doing something incredibly stupid and allthough they didn't know any better, you did, and you didn't say or do anything to stop them."

Charlie said weakly, "The people of the Isles of Mystery don't think I'm pathetic."

Mirror Charlie inturruptted with, "The statue? Oh please. The people of the Isles of Mystery way overstated how difficult it was for you. All you had was some knowledge to pilot a submarine, and a natural control of magic. The rest was just pure luck on your part."

Charlie suddenly felt a bit hungry but ignored it as his reflection continued, "Let's face it. Your the poor pathetic child of poor pathetic parents. Mr. Wonka, the people of the Isles of Mystery way overestimate you. And Violet? She doesn't love you! Oh she might say so, and in her gratitude may have deluded herself into thinking so, but deep down she thinks of you as another way of getting the prize she lost in the contest. If you two ever get married, and the factory becomes half hers, she dump you like yesterdays laundry, and get some fancy lawyer to get the rest of the factory from you, and you will get the fate you were headed to before. To die with the rest of your poor pathetic starving family. You know what? I think we should head toward that fate now?"

Violet said, "Are you kidding? It didn't seem to hurt him when it happened?"

Mirror Violet said, "Yes. But it gave him idea of what type of person you are. Don't you get it? He doesn't love you."

Violet replied, "He does. He's just afraid to admit it. He chose me as his girl."

Mirror Violet smirked and said, "When it happened, what other choices did he have? Remember what he told Dad?"

The mirror flashed and displayed Paul Beaurgarde saying to Charlie, "Is what your missing have to be my daughter?"

Charlie said, "I don't know sir. I haven't had many options."

The image reverted and Mirror Violet said, "But other options have arisen. Haven't they?" The mirror then displayed Charlie playing with Angela, then reverted back. "Charlie might not like Angela that way, but it doesn't matter. He's starting to realize that during his lifetime other options will arise, and what goes on between you guys is fine as long as it doesn't get serious. But by telling him that you love him you made it serious, and Charlie realized if he's going to be in a serious relationship it had better be with someone not insane and not conceited.

Mirror Charlie said, "You know. Your fate if you continue is to starve with the rest of your family, lets have it happen now and save time." Charlie's hungry feeling suddenly jumped tenfold, and he looked down and saw his arms and legs shrivel up.

Mirror Violet said, "You obviously haven't learned your lesson. You punishment clearly hasn't lasted long enough." Violets queasy feeling increased, and she looked down to see her arms turn blue and her stomach bulge out.

Violet nervously sang, "Happy birthday to meeee." 


	13. Reconciliation

Charlie lay on the floor having difficultly speaking. He managed to say to the mirror. "I... get you."

Mirror Charlie responded, "Oh really?"

Charlie said gasping. "If.. you had.. power.. to do this, then why all the insults? Because, .. your power.. fueled by.. my self doubt. Madame Rosa said.. I needed to.. understand myself."

Mirror Charlie smirked and said, "What's to understand? You're a pathetic person pathetically pretending to try to make something of your life."

Charlie said, "You.. All those people.. called me pathetic because I was poor. But I've allways.. admired poor people.. who try their best to move forward. Which I'm pretty sure.. I'm doing. So why can't.. I admire myself.. for doing.. the same thing? Oh jeez. I've fallen for it."

Mirror Charlie said, "What do you mean?"

Charlie said, "A lot of people.. in the world.. would have you believe.. that being born poor.. makes you pathetic, and I've fallen for it." After saying that, some of Charlies stregth started to return. "No one who is born poor and yet is able to survive is pathetic. The real pathetic ones are the ones born wealthy, but don't do anything with their lives. And I was able to help the Isles of Mystery. Sure I got through on mostly luck, but it also required bravery. I put myself in a dangerous situation for the good of the whole world. I'm on a good path on my life, and I'm not going to let you mess it up."

Charlie was able to stand up then, but not all of his strength returned. He still felt very hungry. "And what's the point of weath anyway? A lot of the problems in the world is caused by people who are rich, but since they aren't happy their only answer for their unhappiness is to become more rich. Well, I've been happy. I've been happy ever since..." Charlie needed a few seconds to answer that, and slapped his head as he realized the answer, and during that time his strength returned completly and his hunger dissapeared. He said, "Thank you, Rosa. I understand now." Charlie ran to the back of the room, put his toughest shoulder forward and ran strait at the dark mirror. With an intense impact, and an amazing crash, he broke through to the other side.

He landed on his front, and with his face turned around he saw there was another mirror just as well decorated on the other side, which he broke on his way in. He put his hands down to lift himself from the floor and heaved when he hit his head on something soft. He turned around and saw right in front of him a giant purple sphere. It took a few seconds after seing the little stubs with shoes on them at the bottom of the sphere and hearing the crying sound coming from the top to realize the truth.

He now had a giant blueberry for a girlfriend. He said, "Oh jeez. Violet!"

He heard from the top a shrill voice saying, "Get away from ME!"

Charlie walked back and looked over the top of Violet so he could see her head. Charlie said, "Look, Violet. You've fallen for the tricks of the dark mirror. It's power over you is fueled by your own self doubt. Believe in yourself, and the power will be broken. You'll revert to normal!"

"I can't! Just leave me! I'm not worth it." Charlie looked over the top and saw that Violet was trying in many ways to hide her face from Charlie. She tried to bend her head to look away. She tried to flip her hair over her head so as to obscure her face."

Charlie said, "Violet, look at me. I know you're feeling helpless and ugly right now."

Violet screamed, "Are you saying I'm not?"

Charlie smirked and said, "You can help yourself by believing in yourself. I'd also say your beautiful, but hey, I'm biased. Do you know why I'm biased?" Violet gave a small chuckle through her tears, as Charlie moved around to her back and started to roll Violet over. He said as he pushed, "Let me explain something to you. Before we met, a lot of people called me pathetic because I was born so poor. You hear something enough times, You start to believe it. You calling me a loser didn't hurt, partly because I was used to it, but partly because I believed it on some level. Your boyfriend has a self esteem problem, and that problem has given rise to a number of irrational fears about our relationship. It's like sometime theres this little voice in my head saying, "What does she see in you?" or "She only likes you because your going to run a factory someday."

Violet cried out, "Are you kidding! I don't care about the factory! I remember when I was first... like this. Everyone else there looked at me with wonder. Only you and my mom looked at me with genuine concern for my well-being." Charlie finished rolling and moved around Violet to her head which was now level with his. He took a handkercheif out of his pocket, and wiped the tears from Violet's cheek. "Every experience with you since then has confirmed one thing for me. You are one of the nicest persons in the world. You care about others even if they don't care about you."

Charlie smiled and said, "I'm biased because I love you, Violet. I'm sorry I let my darn insecurities make me lose sight of how happy you've made me. So, birthday girl, since our last kiss was a dud, mind if I try again?"

Violet said, "Don't seem to have much of a choice. Go ahead."

Charlie planted his lips on Violet for a good minute before he looked up and saw she was shrinking, and her normal hue was returning. She said, back in her confident voice, "You know, I wouldn't have fallen for the mirror's tricks if you hadn't been so wishy-washy before. I'm usually a pretty confident person."

Charlie nodded. "I've allways thought that."

Violet continued, "You are taking me out to dinner on a fancy restaurant on the Isle of Lovers when we get back, you understand."

Charlie replied as Violet finished returning to normal, "That's fair. Can I have another kiss now?"

Violet yelled, "Jeez. NEXT TIME YOU DON'T ASK!" before grabbing Charlies head and pulling him into another kiss.

After a few seconds, Charlie managed to make a few words in between kisses from Violet. "We really should.. SMACK keep SMACK moving."

Violet replied. "We really should. SMACK"

Charlie broke free from her grip, took Violet's hand and said, "Follow me."

Violet replied, "Forever." before they both left the room back into the hall of mirrors still holding hands. 


	14. Revelation

Charlie and Violet eventually found their way to another giant room surrounded by mirrors, but it wasn't the mirrors that drew their attention. At the center laid out on the floor was a pentagram surrounded by a circle, surrounded by a group of decomposing dead bodies. In the center of the circle was a large ancient book. Violet ran over to look at the book and called out to Charlie. "You don't happen to read latin, do you?"

Charlie replied while examining the corpses, "No. We'll take it back to Madame Rosa."

Violet said, "So what's with all the dead people?"

Charlie said, "Given that they are here, I bet they are the ones who set the curse, and, " Charlie reached down and pulled back the shirt of one of the dead bodies to reveal another decomposing head in the stomach. He looked around to see several of the corpses had misshapen skulls. "These are the freaks. Why am I not surprised?"

Violet put on a face of wonder and asked, "What do you mean?"

Charlie said, "Oh come on. Haven't you noticed that the freaks are the only ghosts we've met today who didn't seem particularly unhappy with the current situation?"

Violet cried out, "But why did they do this? They loved my great-grandfather!"

Charlie smirked and replied, "No they loved the way your great-grandfather treated them. Unfortunatly when he announced his retirement they figured that whatever circus they would work for next would treat them like every other circus treated them. They decided to find a way to arrange a way to keep The O'brian circus going forever."

A shrill voice called out, "GOOD THINKING MR. BUCKET!"

At once, Hyena-man, the reptile, the cat-woman, the frog-man, the two nosed man, and the man with a second head in his chest drifted in through the walls. The frog-man said in his incredibly bent voice, "You are way too smart for your own good. Not smart enough to not try to disrupt the happy place we created here."

Violet yelled, "HAPPY! LOOK AROUND! EVERYONE ELSE IS MISERABLE!"

Hyena-man giggled, "THey don't apreciate Mr. O'brian!"

Two-nosed man said, "Luckily this disruption can be dealt with. One of the spells we cast makes anyone who dies in here lose their memory of what happened in the funhouse. Prepare to join us here forever, Mister Bucket. So..." and with that all the freaks eyes started to glow red and they started changing. They got bigger. Their bodies expanded and distorted until they looked like demonic equivilants of who they were. Two-nosed demon continued and all the other freaks said simultaneously, "DIE!"

The lunged at Charlie and Violet when a large funnel of smoke started billowing out of the front entrance to the room, and as it hit Charlie and Violet, the smelled extremly foul burning herbs, but the freaks were instantly drew back. Charlie and Violet looked toward the entrance to see that the smoke came from a fan which was pushing smoke out of a lantern that Angela was carrying. Charlie said, "ANGIE!"

Angela called out, "Madame Rosa and I cooked it up. Said to repel dark spirits. BUT IT WON'T LAST LONG! RUN!"

Charlie nodded to Angela and grabbed Violets hands, and they raced toward the door. It took awile to find their way back through the maze of mirrors, and Angelas lantern which the freaks couldn't get near as long as it burnt run out of fuel as they entered the front room where Augustus, Veruca, and Mike were finishing off the rest of the robots. Charlie yelled out, "LET'S GO FOLKS! WE GOT WHAT WE CAME FOR! LET'S GET IT BACK TO ROSA!"

Angela said, "We don't need to!"

As the kids ran out the front entrance, Leonard O'brian, who was waiting for them said, "Don't need to what?"

Angela yelled, "Mr. O'brian! The freaks are the one who set the curse and they are on our tail!" 

Leonard O'brian took this in and the moment he saw the demonic two-nosed man emerge from the funhouse entrance his eyes started glowing white as he said, "Why those LOUSY, UNGRATEFUL,..." and some Clowns as well as some ghost kids drifted in all with glowing white eyes and Mr. O'brian, the clowns and the ghost kids all started swarming around the two-nosed demon.

Augustus said, "Can they kill him?"

Charlie turned to Augustus and said, "OF COURSE NOT! THEY ARE ALLREADY DEAD!"

Angela grabbed the other kids and led them onto the tram calling out to the driver, "TO THE FRONT ROOM! FAST! FAST! FAST!"

The driver said, "Allright, Strap yourself in kids."

Charlie said to Angela as the kids strapped themselves into the trams seats, Charlie turned to Angela and said, "Why don't we need to get the book to Rosa?"

Angela said as she shoved the book into Mikes hands. "Rosa allready told me. Mike can figure it out!"

Mike flipped through the book and said, "WHAT? EVEN IF THIS FORTUNE TELLER KNEW ME, I CAN'T READ LATIN!" just as the tram took off as fast as a Rollar Coaster. 


	15. The Failsafe

"I'M TELLING YOU I CAN'T DO IT!" yelled Mike as he sat from his back seat of the tram which was rushing past circus attraction after circus attraction. He continued with, "I am a genius, so if I had some type of dictionary with me, I could have it translated in seconds, but I don't so I cant."

Angela said from her front seat. "I must admit I am starting to lose faith in Madame Rosa's predictions."

The kids noticed that Mike was sweating heavily, and Charlie said, "Mike are you allright? The situations not that bad."

Mike yelled out, "Easy for you to say, BUCKET! YOUR NOT BEING ASKED TO FIGURE OUT A PRACTICALLY DEAD LANGUAGE IN THE SPAN IN A FEW MINUTES! IN A HOUSE FULL OF GHOST CLOWNS AND EVIL GHOST FREAKS! AND I NEVER LIKED LIVE CLOWNS!"

Veruca who was sitting next to mike said, "Calm down, Michael. You can do this!"

Mike yelled, "YOU DON'T GET IT, SALT! HOW COULD YOU WITH.." but Mike was cut short as Veruca had grabbed Mike's face and planted a huge kiss on it.

As she pulled away, Violet said, "What was that for?"

Veruca said, "I don't know. I've seen it calm guys down." She then turned back and said, "I know you can do this Michael."

After a few seconds of dumbfounded staring at Veruca an astonished expression suddenly crossed his face and he said, "Uh, Salt? Does your cellphone happen to be an internet phone?"

After the tram stopped at the front room, and Mike started translating the book from the dictionary he downloaded, Violet started pacing. Charlie got up and asked what's wrong?"

Violet said, "How long till the evil ghosts get past the good ghosts and find their way up here to kill us?"

Charlie replied, "We'll be ready for them. Somehow I know it."

Violet nodded and said, "You know all this talk about your friend the fortune teller has me thinking about destiny. You know how many unlikely events it took for us to get together, and for us to get to this point! We both had to find golden tickets. You had to accidently figure out how to get the blue out of me. Then we had to land here. What would you use to describe it? Fate, or dumb luck?"

Charlie smirked and said, "People allways look for a diference between those two don't they?"

Violet smiled and said, "Do you think fate will ever go easier on us?"

Charlie replied, "Fate has given you to me, and in return for that, I'm willing to let it throw whatever it wants at me."

Mike called out, "Okay, there's a snag."

Angela said, "What is it?"

Mike said, "The curse is tied to the book. Probably why the freaks didn't destroy it."

Charlie said, "So if we destroy the book?"

Mike stopped him with, "Destroy the book and the ghosts will become lost souls. No longer confined to the house, but unable to move to the proverbial better place. No there is a spell here which is a safeguard. It will open up twin portals to the two realms of the afterlife. All ghosts who stand before the portals will be judged. However, to activate it, you are supposed to keep some of the blood of the sacrifice used to set the curse."

Charlie said, "That must be what Rosa meant."

Mike said, "Meant what?"

Angela said, "Rosa told us that Mr. O'brians murder was the sacrifice. After she told us his blood was needed to finish it. After that, she said it was fate that one of his bloodline arrived here tonight."

Mike nodded and said, "Okay. We'll need something to draw the blood."

Angela took out a dagger out of her purse and said, "Rosa gave this to me. Said we'll need it."

Violet took the dagger and said, "Dang, that lady plan's ahead."

Just then a couple of clowns came running in. "WE CAN'T HOLD THEM BACK ANYMORE! THEY'RE COMING!"

Charlie said, "Give me the spell. You guys get outside and get in the glass elevator.

Mike gave a piece of paper with a magical verse on it to Charlie, while giving the book to Violet. Mike said, "Bucket, you chant this. Beauregarde you drip your blood over this page."

As Angela, Augustus, Mike and Veruca ran out the front door, and the demonic freaks started fading into the room through the walls. Charlie said to Violet, "Violet, whatever happens now,"

Violet touched his cheek and said, "What can happen. We're together!

Charlie smiled and started chanting. Violet cut her arm and smeared her blood over the book. The earth started shaking. A bright light started shining from the ceiling, And the earth opened up beneath them. 


	16. Final Destiny

The light in the ceiling seemed to fill the entire upper half of the room, and as many of the ghosts who were fighting off the freaks had the light shine upon them, the ghosts seemed to morph into beams of light and flow into the source, but as brilliant as the light of the heaven portal was, Charlie and Violet were too distracted by their running away from the fire that burst from crevasse that opened up where the book lay. The crevasse immediatly swallowed the book as well as one of the trapeze platforms. They ran a good distance but were stopped as they saw that the earthquake that occured when the crevasse formed had caused all the doors out of the main room to collapse. He turned around to see that the crevasse seemed to be completly between Charlie and Violet and the front door to the house. He saw that the walls of the Crevasse seemed to be made of human bodies screaming at the tops of their lungs and several huge firey hands constantly reached out of the crevasse, grab some of the freaks in mid air, and drag them into the crevasse.

Violet looked around at the scene and yelled out, "WHAT NOW!"

Charlie saw that the fire that seeped out of the crevasse was getting closer, and saw the only way out was climbing the ladder of the remaining trapeze platform. Charlie replied, "UP!"

Violet said as Charlie started climbing, "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Charlie replied as Violet started climbing, "Not in the least."

As they reached the top Violet yelled as the lower part of the tower started burning, "Now what?"

Charlie replied, "Even if we are to die here, I have no regrets. I have you my side, and that's what I need. But I'm even glad were not?"

Violet yelled, "How can you be so sure?"

Charlie pointed up, and the glass elevator crashed through the unopen part of the ceiling. Charlie said, "Because we've got some good friends backing us up."

As soon as Charlie and Violet lept into the glass elevator, Mike yelled "UP!"

Angela pushed a button and the elevator flew out of the top of the builing. The six kids looked down as the O'brian estate collapsed. It took a few seconds to register, when Augustus yelled out, "VE DID IT!"

After all six kids finished repeatedly hugging each other. Mike said, "Come on. We'll find a local fire department to have them put out that fi.." but was stopped when he noticed that Veruca was leering at him. He said, "Oh jeez. Look, Salt, the kiss meant nothing to me, Okay?"

Veruca smirked and said, "Then how come you seemed to calm down after it happened and miraculously came up with the idea of using my internet phone?"

Mike angrilly replied, "You just stunned me, that's all."

Veruca exclaimed in a sing-song voice. "You LII-HIKE MEEEE!"

Mike yelled, "NO, I DON'T!"

Veruca continued with, "YOU LUH-HUVE MEEEE!"

Mike turned to Charlie who had hugged Violet last and they were still fiercely clamped together. "Chuck, sorry I called your girlfriend crazy. Compared to Veruca she's a picture of sanity."

Veruca said smugly, "Hear that? Mike just called me his girlfriend!"

Mike yelled, "I DIDN'T SAY THAT!"

Augustus whispered to Angela, "What do you think? Those two?"

Angela whispered back, "Dunno. I do know that if they ever hooked up they would both be raving lunatics by the end of the week."

Veruca was singing, "YOU THINK I'M BEE-YOOU-TIFUL!" as the glass elevator dissapeared over the hillside. But if you looked at the wreakage of the O'brian estate, the twin portals were still present. Leonard O'brian came out of the heavenly portal, and moved to another section of the ruined building where Madame Rosa was digging through the wreakage.

Leonard O'brian said, "Uh, Rosa. Can't close the portals until your through!"

Rosa looked up with a heavy sadness in her eyes. "Leonard, I'm scared. Heaven wouldn't want me. After all, this mess was all my fault. I dug too deep."

Leonard O'brian took Madame Rosa's chin and pulled her head up so she looked at him. "They don't care. I've had a nice discussion with the authorities. They find no fault in you trying to learn more about the universe than what is generally accepted, and they recognize that the freaks are the ones to blame here. The big boss in the end only cares about one thing, and the boss recognizes that in you, as have I since the day we met. You are a good person. Otherwise you wouldn't feel so wracked with guilt over what happened. You are, and I don't want you to let anybody else tell you differently. Madame Rosa smiled and nodded. Leonard O'brian continued, "So let's get out of here. Okay?"

Madame Rosa said, "One sec, okay?" Madame Rosa then lifted her crystal ball out of the wreakage, then looked into it for a moment, then smirked.

O'brian said, "What?"

Madame Rosa said, "You remember when I said that this was a turning point in the kids lives? I've seen many futures for them, but since now that the kids futures are out of our hands, I wanted to see what future they are headed toward now?"

Leonard O'brian took Madame Rosa's hands and started leading her toward the heavenly portal. "So what did you see?"

Madame Rosa said, "Scene is roughly ten years from now. A party to celebrate your great-granddaughter winning an olympic gold medal. Your great granddaughter is approached by Mister Bucket. He congratulates her. She says, "Thanks. It's like I've allways said. You be fearless and you can make your dreams come true." Mister Bucket replied, "You don't need to tell me. I think I can make my dreams come true by being fearless." Violet then says, "And I bet your going to do it by giving me the engagement ring you've got hidden behind your back." Mister bucket asks how she knew, then Violet reponds with, "DUH! You shouldn't have asked my mom to help you pick out the ring. You know she's totally incabable of keeping a secret of that magnitude from me. So hurry up and offer it to me allready. I want to kiss you as my fiancee for the first time." Madame Rosa said, "End scene." just as she and Leonard O'brian entered the heavenly portal and the portals closed.

THE END 


End file.
